I Love My Church

Realizing that there will be several individuals that will read this blog who are attendees of my church, Life in Christ Fellowship, I am tempted to misstate my feelings in this post. However, I will resist buttering up my people and just tell the truth from my heart.

As the title states, I do love my church. I daily thank and praise the Lord for such an awesome privilege of serving them as their pastor. I have been here for almost 1 year now. The days have gone by very quickly and for the most part smoothly. Has it been all a bed of roses? No, it has not. There have been days and situations that have irritated me, as flies do horses on a humid summer day. There have been days in which I pulled the window shades and locked the doors because I needed recovery time.

But, the whole balance of all days has been totally awesome and fulfilling. It is amazing how just a year ago, both Debbie and I were totally drained by the abandonment and rejection that we went through at our previous pastorate, but now we both feel whole. I can truly say, I am now longer just content in the place of ministry but I am truly and completely happy. What an amazing feeling that is!

I have been praying and searching my heart to make sure I am in balance with God’s will for the path of LICF. He has so graciously burdened my heart and soul deeply for these people. The burden goes beyond just those who are a part of our congregation, but I can honestly say without any reserve, it goes to those who WILL be a part of our church. Does that make sense? It is different that the burden for the whole community. I wish I could explain it further.

Because of this burden, it brings me to some restlessness dealing with the ministry of the church. I just want my people to deeply and freshly experience an invigorating moving of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I deeply believe that God wants to pour down upon us and do a mighty thing in our midst. So often through the account of the early church this happened only when the people were gathered together in a central location with their hearts, souls and minds united in focused upon God. I am greatly perplexed by the lack of commitment that people have at times to the gathering together of the Body of Christ. I know God can bless and move in people’s lives in their private times of individual worship, but why is there the abandonment of the Body gathering? I have asked a few other pastors about this, and they too have the same question.

Offer food … and they will come. Have music practice they will come to that, but leave prior to the studying of God’s word. Why?

To my people who read this. Please know and hold on to this thought. I LOVE YOU WITH ALL THAT I AM. I just desire that we all experience together (all of us and those who come along later) the awesome, glorious, refreshing, empowering, cleansing, leading, healing, equipping and so forth power of God! If today, this point of time in the history of our church, we who are the current people of the church do not make a re-focusing desire to the ministry and events of the church, what will that tell those who come along later? If they see us sitting in the second chair instead of the first chair, they will be taught that it is ok to remain distant in their commitment.

It was explained to me this way some time back. Today’s church people (I am not just referring to those who attend LICF) treat their commitment to the church and its ministry like leaving a tip on the table. I ask … how long could we get away with the paying of our restaurant tab by just leaving a tip in the table? Once … twice? NO we have to pay the total of the bill or we will be in trouble.

Why is it so often believers feel they can get away with just leaving a tip and not paying the whole tab? (No I am not talking about paying tithes).

There is a great debate among many church leaders about the church not being relevant to the world around her. But I ask are you as a believer making yourself relevant to the church? Maybe that is the question that should be addressed 1st? If the world could see that the believers believe in the local church and its ministry, they may ask, “What is going on that makes people so committed?” If the world could see the Church excited about being the Church, I believe that they, the world, would get interested and feel that they too need to be a part. You see, it is human nature to go where the excitement is taking place. I am not talking about pure emotionalism. I am taking about the church getting excited about being the Church. Being excited to be the messenger of the Message. The world around the local church needs to experience that is still the tool of God’s design to exclaim the truth to those with out the truth!

Yes I love my church. Because of this love, it brings me to my knees daily as I intercede for them before the throne. I just want us all to experience together; all that God wants to do in our midst. I simply refuse to believe that we have seen, heard or experience it all. I believe the best is yet to come. But are you going to be there to experience it together or will you have to hear about it in the 6 o’clock news report?

I love you, LICF. I am blessed and honored to be called your pastor.

Hear the Voice? Is it the giant or the giant slayer?

All around us are a multitude of voices calling out our name. So many are trying to give us the advice and direction that will grant to us the tried and true answer. Society seems to have the right solutions at all times, but yet there is such a variety of answers for the same questions.

We are called to be tolerant and inclusive of all people. If we hold to only one solution, we are considered close-minded. If we hold to the fact that Jesus is the only way to heaven, we are considered as be exclusive of other people and are not relevant. If we take offence to the fact that certain religions declare war against Christianity, if we take a stand against this then we are being hatefully and not Christ like (see some of the post-links on the left for some of these thought lines. You'll have to read some the comments under the posts).

Are we too busy in deciding if we are relevant or not and then actually become un-relevant due to lack of action? Do we spend too much time in debate as to what the world needs to hear from us and fail to even tell them the simple gospel message? Do we spend too much time in "Aim, Target, Aim, Target, Aim, Target" and never finish the routine by firing? Are we too concern about what or how it will effect people's emotions and feelings that we have become a watered down functioning church? Do we spend too much time in debate among ourselves and fail to hear the voice of God? Are we too wrapped up in "what it can be" and fail to make it what it should be? Are we listening to the voices of giants and fail to hear the voice of the giant slayer?

Remember, the giant slayer who is calling out our name, only sees our giants as grasshoppers.

Let’s paint a picture in your mind. Picture a football game. The teams are stacked against each other on the field of play. Each is battling against the other for the score which will make them the winner.

You are the quarterback, the team leader on the field with the great responsibility of leading the team to the goal. All around the playing field, supporters of each team are sitting in the crowd. Those you know along with scores and scores of others you don’t are aggressively voicing their insights and proclamations. Through the many voices, you have trouble in finding that one voice, that one sound that one familiar proclamation that will give direction.

Your opposing team is taunting you with jeers. They try to paralyze you, to cause you to freeze so to be unable to complete the duty assigned. You look into their eyes and see an in-depth determination that causes you to shutter. An eeriness of insecurity begins to penetrate your soul. The front line seemingly begins to grow even larger. Your personal defenders in-like manner, get smaller, as like now you’re grasshoppers against giants.
Then you pause. You glance around. Then there it is. That one thing you were wondering if it was still available. That time and object which in the past has brought you clarity and surety. You now have it. It, being that familiar voice of your coach gently speaking in your ear through the direct connection that you share with him. This connection allows you to filter through all other voices. Allowing you to shut out and shut down the voices of taunting. It lifts and restores. It secures your resolve to win.

Oh how precious it is to hear that voice.


We too are in the game. It is the game of fulfilling the mission, securely and confidently given to us. The mission, you ask? It is: “To fulfill the Great Commission and to live out the Great Commandment.” The mission produces within us a vision of what can be and will be. It develops within us a resolve that governs and empowers all that we do. It brings us an urgency in which we can not rest until the game is over. We are set to do it. We are ready to take on the Giants.

Here Is God

This is an article that I place in our last monthly newsletter for our church. It is exciting to see God working among and through us. As you read through this, think of areas in your life in which you may be experiencing the unknown or new borders of new territority. Places of testing or the stretching your faith. Remember, "Here is God".

An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It's an old mariner's chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and "Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote these words across the map: "Here is God."

Ahead of us are days and territories in which we have not been entered before. They have the potential to scare us away from processing what God has in store for us, as they did to the Israelites when they approached the Jordan River the first time. But let us remember that in these new places that God leads us into, “Here is God”.

We will be called to invest ourselves, our time, our talents and materials as we possess the new land. We will question our selves at times, wondering if we can do it. Will we be able to go beyond the known and walk beyond the boundaries into the unknown? We hear the voice of God calling us, but yet uncertainty rests in our minds. But let us remember that in these new places to which God calls us to enter, “Here is God”.

New opportunities will develop to share the glorious message of the Gospel. We will be called into new places of ministry and service. Lives will come across our paths that are looking for hope. Brokenness will be displayed. We will be challenged to show them the love of Christ in ways that will cause us to step outside of our comfort zone. Each time, the calling out of the church by the issuing of the Great Commission rings powerfully in our heart, yet fear will seem to try to paralyze us. But yet let us remember that in these new opportunities of service for the Kingdom, “Here is God”.

Here is God. What a glorious proclamation and reality. So what if there will be giants, fiery scorpions or dragons in the days ahead, God is there and we are in His hands.

Only a Quarter

This is a story that was sent to me via an e-mail. Do you see yourself any where within this story? Even though it may be easy to brush this story aside and say it doesn't hold much water, but does not the spine of the story/parable relate to how our actions/attitudes/speech reflect Christ?





Several years ago, a new preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver with a smile replied, "Aren't you the new Preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday"

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is an example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test! Always be on guard and remember (as I try to remember) that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."

Watch your thoughts; they become words.


Watch your words; they become actions.


Watch your actions; they become habits.


Watch your habits; they become character.


Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Culturally Relevant Gospel

There is a story about two boys, and each was given a block of wood and a knife. They were instructed to begin whittling. Both set off with great determination to complete the task given them. They were aggressively making the wood chips fly. When they finished the given task, they were asked to present their final product. The first handed over a nicely carved boat and the second handed over a pile of wood shavings.

What was the difference for the outcome? One had a vision within the task and the second only saw the task. This is a reflective illustration of how we, the church, often approach the journey of the task. We hear the presentation, and receive tools to do it then set off aggressively in getting it done. Then when we are asked to present the result of the process there is a wide variety in the end product.

To have a “Culturally Relevant Gospel” it requires visualizing what the end of the journey can and should look like. Time must be spent in “seeing the boat” before starting. All of the tools and materials have been previously given to us. We the church have been given the knife, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you” and the block of wood, “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the far ends of the earth” and the task “Be my witnesses”. We do not need to change the tool or find a new block of wood. The task has not changed.

So what do we need to do to have a culturally relevant Gospel? In my experience in wood working, there are different types of wood and an equal amount of requirements to work with wood. Just as the scripture above depicts different groups of people, we must realize, no, we must deeply comprehend that people (and situations) are vastly different and requires different handling. Think with me. Instead of only looking at the listing of the people groups of Acts 1:8 as different regions, let’s look at the listing as different personalities, make-up and styles of people. Just as different regions must be ministered to at a culturally relevant way, so local people must be ministered to relevantly based upon their socially, mentally, educationally and economically make-up.

So, why it is that two churches placed in the same region experience different results? They are handed the same block of wood, receive the same tool and given the same task, but the results are so vastly different. I have trouble believing that God desires one over the other in completing the journey. I have trouble that God desires to bless one church and not the other. I have trouble accepting that God wants one church to have more and higher quality results. I refuse to accept that God provides a better tool to one over the other. But why are there different results? Can I suggest that maybe we, the wood workers are just whittlers and not cravers. Maybe we do not stop and visualize what the block of wood can be. I think of when Jesus approached Jerusalem and the scripture says that He beheld the city, He began to weep. He beheld … He visualized the status of the city and realized just what they could become. He stopped and looked at the block of wood and saw the boat. Let’s stop and see the boats in our blocks of wood and take the necessary steps to release the boats thus we become carvers instead of whittlers.

One additional thought. Consider the knife. Just in carving, the proper use of the tool makes all of the difference regardless of the vision you have. Use the knife the wrong way you’ll destroy the final outcome. Use the tool the wrong way, and you run the very high risk of causing grave bodily damage. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one when it comes to carving. (Our knife when it comes to craving for the Church will never go dull).

Having a culturally relevant gospel does not mean changing the gospel to fit the region, but the changing the ways in which we get the boats out of the blocks of wood we have been given. Are you; am I, a whittler or a carver?